Jewelry is meant to be enjoyed and loved! That’s why so many of us wear our jewelry every day. When you love your jewelry this much, it is much more is subject to wear and tear, and every time you bump, rub or scratch your jewelry you may be causing some harm. This happens mostly with rings…especially engagement rings. At Roman Jewelers, we strongly encourage our clients to bring their ringsinto the store every six months or so, to allow us to check the prongs to insure they are wearing properly. We will also clean your jewelry while you wait, which always results in the same, “Wow!” reaction from our customers. There are a few things that you can do at home periodically to check to see if your center stone is loose, and if the prongs are worn. Tap-Test: Hold the ring up by your ear and gently tap anywhere on the setting. Typically if the stones are loose, you will hear the stone rattle. Rub-Test: Run your fingertip across the top of the prongs. Do they feel sharp? Does one of the prongs feel different than the others? If so, you should bring your ring in for professional inspection. Visual Inspection:Look closely at your prongs. Do any of them have a lot of fibers caught beneath them? Do they catch on sweaters or other clothing? If so it could be an indication that one of the prongs has lifted off of the stone. We have jewelers on site full-time, so if you are in doubt, please stop in and speak with our experts at Roman Jewelers.

Do you remember the movieForrest Gump?For those who do (and perhaps even those who have never seen it) you’ll recall Forrest’s iconic line: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.” I like to think of this line every time I look at pearls, because the same concept applies to them—you never know what you’re going to get. Since pearls are created entirely by nature, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Similarly to opening a box of chocolates, when you open an oyster to find a pearl you never know what you’re going to get. Often, you’ll find a perfectly round pearl. But you’ll also sometimes find a totally irregular pearl—one that’s shaped unlike any other. These kinds of pearls are called Baroque pearls, and (in my opinion) are the most interesting type of pearl. I’m the first to admit that I’m a complete perfectionist. I look for precision in everything I do-- in my everyday work, in the places that I visit, in nature, but most of all in jewelry. When it comes to jewelry design, I like clean lines and perfectly shaped jewels. But, interestingly enough, I am completely fascinated by imperfect Baroque pearls. Not only does their perfect imperfection look stunning in jewelry design, Baroque pearls also have a fascinating history and background. Let’s start with their name—baroque. Even the sound of the word evokes an image of something unique and extravagant. Where exactly does baroque come from? According to various dictionaries,the word originates either from French (where baroque means “irregular shape”) orthe Portugueseword barroco(meaning “irregular pearl”). In English the word “baroque” points to a style in music, architecture, and the arts (known as the Baroque Period) that existed in Europe from the early 17th century to the late 18th century. The period was known for featuring many decorative parts and details in its artwork and architecture. The baroque style was filled with creativity, new art forms, embellishments, and adventure. These elements are also present in Baroque pearl jewelry, making its name very fitting. Today, the attraction of Baroque pearls lies in the very nature of their imperfection. The different shapes and sizes of baroque pearls makes them extremely intriguing and beautiful—not to mention unique—when put together. Baroque pearls allow for unleashed creativity and pure imagination in jewelry design. If you like jewelry that is unique and different, baroque pearl necklaces, rings, earrings, and bracelets are the choice for you! As with any pearls, the most valuable baroque pearls come from the South Sea and Tahiti. Lucky for designers and jewelry lovers, a high percentage of the pearls harvested in these areas are baroque. Akoya Pearls are the close cousins of South Sea and Tahitian pearls—similar in nature but smaller in size. Akoyapearls aresaltwaterpearls, and the name "Akoya" comes from the oysterthat produces them. That oyster is known as the “akoyaoyster”andis found and farmed mainlyin Japan and China.Akoya pearls arefrequentlywhite or creamincolor, with overtone colors of rose, silver, or cream. The most valuable and cherished pearls are South Sea pearls. As the name implies, these pearlsare found in the warm waters of the South Sea that surroundsAustralia, Indonesia and the Philippines. These pearls are produced by the silver or golden lipped oyster, known as the Pinctada Maxima oyster. Both golden and white South Sea pearls are very rare. Exotic black pearls (which come from the black lipped pearl oyster) are called Tahitian pearls. Like the name suggests, these pearls come from Tahiti, but also several other French Polynesian islands. Though they are often referred to as black pearls, their color can actually vary from light creamy white, to gray, to green, to iridescent peacock, to deep black. Tahitian pearls come in so manydifferent shades and colors that matching them into a finished strand is an enormous task. Quite often, a jeweler has to go throughthousands of loose Tahitian pearls to create a single strand. Pearls can also come from freshwater lakes, rivers, and ponds. These pearls are logically called Freshwater Pearls.The majority of cultured freshwater pearls come from China, and (similar to Tahitian pearls) range in color from light shades like soft pink, lavender, peach, and white to dark shades like peacock and black. Even though pearls are intended by nature to be perfectly round, the fact that they sometimes turn out irregular only allows for creativity and distinctiveness in jewelry making. In the world of jewelry-making, where uniformity and perfection are often strived for, Baroque pearls offer a unique take that is beautiful in its own right. Even for someone like me, a perfectionist through and through, the individualityof Baroque pearls is highly appealing because it allows an appreciation for nature’s imperfections. But don’t let me sway you-- what do you think? Do you prefer perfectly round or imperfectly baroque pearls? For more information on beautiful baroque pearls, or to inquire about purchasing your own pearl jewelry, make an appointment with Roman Jewelers today.

when it comes to buying an engagement ring. Between the diamond, setting, band, and other details, there are countless options. And sometimes, the right combination of these options just can’t be found. Custom engagement rings are usually for those who can’t find what they want in a display case or those who just want to create something original. The custom ring-making process allows a customer to work side-by-side with a skilled jewelry team to design and create a jewelry piece that has everything they are looking for. First, one of our designers will meet with the clients to discuss what they are looking for in their custom engagement ring. This designer will then sketch a draft of the potential ring, and edit it according to the customer’s feedback and critique. Once the drawing is finalized, it is sent to a digital model maker, who translates the design into a 3-D, computerized version. From there, we create a wax model to be approved by the customer, cast the ring, and set it with diamonds to create the finished product. Not only does custom jewelry design allow you to get exactly what you want from a ring stylistically, but it also gives an engagement ring greater meaning and purpose. Custom jewelry design lets you bring your own story and personality to your engagement ring, to create something that represents you rather than the company it was purchased from. The magic of a custom engagement ring is that it is as unique as the relationship it commemorates, something that cannot be said for a regular store-bought ring. For more information on custom engagement rings, or to inquire about making your own custom engagement ring, visit Roman Jewelers.

The best designer watches are all about luxury and sophistication. Because of quality, attention to detail, and precision with which the best designer watches are made, they last a lifetime and usually are passed to the next generation. In the world of watches, complexity and price go hand in hand. So the more you are willing to pay for a watch, the more choices you’ll have. And believe us, there is an overwhelming number of choices when it comes to some of the best watches, from around the world. When you are ready to treat yourself,  (a designer watches is the ultimate treat) there are a few considerations. First, decide on your budget. Then think about if you will wear the watch for special occasions, work, or, perhaps, sports activities. Think of your style; do you prefer a high-tech gadget or a traditional elegant watch? Quartz or mechanical? Digital or analog or, maybe, a combination of the two? One thing for certain; when you buy one of the best designer watches, you are buying the highest quality materials, craftsmanship, precision, and, with it, prestige. If budget is a strong consideration, but you still want one of the best designer watches, consider a quartz watch. As a matter of fact, the majority of watches being manufactured today are quartz. Quartz technology allows for extremely accurate measure of time, as the quartz crystal within a watch is powered by the watch’s battery. Quartz watches have a pretty simple mechanism compared to a mechanical watch. A mechanical watch movement is a piece of art in itself. Most of the world’s best designer watches are mechanical watches. Mechanical watches are also known as windup watches. These watches keep accurate time by using a spring mechanism and are battery free. In these watches, the energy is stored in a spring. That spring can be either wound up automatically or by hand. From the spring, the energy is transferred to a series of gears, pins, wheels, pivots, and teeth. The mechanisms are complicated and it takes a long time to produce these watches, thus making them much more expensive compared to quartz watches. Roman Jewelers is your source for the best designer watches, including many prestigious Swiss brands. Stop at Roman Jewelers and see for yourself the best of the best in designer watches. Try them on, get a feel, find your style, and enjoy!

[vc_column width="1/4"][vc_single_image image="647"][vc_column width="3/4"]Sketch The custom designed jewelry process begins with a sketch. However, before we even start sketching the piece for you, we would like to get know you, since the custom jewelry design is all about you! Whether you are interested in custom designed jewelry for an engagement ring or a wedding band, earrings or pendant, bracelet, or any other piece of jewelry, we will discuss the piece and give you ideas for the design. Then, we will sketch the piece for you and, don’t worry, we will keep sketching until we hear, “That is exactly what I had in mind!” After that, we can begin your custom jewelry design process.[vc_column width="1/4"][vc_single_image image="646"][vc_column width="3/4"]Selecting Diamonds For Your Custom Designed Jewelry Diamonds are quite often important parts of our customers’ custom jewelry designs.  Therefore, selecting and matching diamonds are important steps in the custom jewelry design process. We will educate you on the quality of the diamonds and will select diamonds to fit the design perfectly. We can also use diamonds or colored stones from the piece(s) of jewelry that you are planning to re-purpose. If there are not enough diamonds in the piece(s) you are re-purposing, we will carefully match additional diamonds to the ones in your existing pieces. That is what custom designed jewelry is all about; you have unlimited freedom, creativity, and flexibility to design the jewelry of your dreams! Selecting diamonds for your custom designed jewelry can be a time-consuming. However, it is such an important step that we happily spend as much time as necessary to assure that we make the right selection. [vc_column width="1/4"][vc_single_image image="648"][vc_column width="3/4"]Creating a Model Depending on the design, we will either have our model maker create the model by carving it by hand from a block of wax, or we will create a model using a computerized methods of jewelry design called CAD. Before we proceed to the next step, you are always invited to the store to see and approve the wax model. Seeing a prototype of the piece that was transformed from a sketch into a wax model will give you a very good idea of what the finished piece will look like. And, it is always exciting to see the first three-dimensional version of your design! Let’s take a look at how the model maker creates the piece in CAD.[vc_column width="1/4"][vc_single_image image="644"][vc_column width="3/4"]CAD Process CAD is just one of the many steps that takes place in the custom designed jewelry process. CAD stands for Computer Aided Design. The CAD software allows a designer to create models and prototypes of one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry with a help of computer jewelry design software. CAD is a program in which the creative process meets the technical knowledge required to design every piece of jewelry. The CAD designer needs to envision the piece and bring it to life using the computer jewelry design software. It is fascinating to watch the CAD designer add every element of the design to the model on the computer screen. For example, if he is designing a custom engagement ring, you might first see the shank, and then a box for a center stone placed on top of the shank. Next, you would see stones being added to the shank. And on and on, until every element of your custom designed jewelry is transferred to the screen.[vc_column width="1/4"][vc_single_image image="710"][vc_column width="3/4"]Rendering of Custom Designed Jewelry Next, the piece has to be re-created as a three-dimensional model. Every element and space allotted for each stone has to be precise. It is this computerized model that will be cut out of wax later in the process, and so our designers are extremely meticulous! [vc_column width="1/4"][vc_single_image image="645"][vc_column width="3/4"]Casting and Finishing Once the wax model is completed and approved by you, the wax is then cast in the metal of your choice: gold, platinum, or silver. We polish and set the diamonds into the setting, and then… your beautiful piece is complete. Now it can be enjoyed for generations to come!

Custom jewelry design is a truly exciting journey. At Roman Jewelers we like to say that “custom jewelry equals inspiration”. Before a piece of custom designed jewelry comes to life, there is always a special person or occasion that inspires such an exceptional, meaningful piece. Rather than purchasing one you saw on your best friend’s finger, in a magazine being worn by a celebrity, or a trendy design that seems to be in every jewelry store, you could have a ring that is completely unique. An engagement ring that is custom designed just for you is your ring, with your story. One day, you will be able to tell your children and grandchildren about how your custom made jewelry came to life--the visions and inspirations throughout the design process, and the love that led you to that special design. A special moment in life deserves special jewelry, to commemorate it and create a story. It is our privilege to lead you through the exciting process of custom jewelry design and through the experience of owning custom made jewelry. We hope you are inspired to go “the custom way.” We do not take lightly your trust in our ability to create a unique, one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. We promise, you won’t be disappointed.

How many diamond jewelry stores have you visited in the search of a perfect diamond? Two? Three? Buying a diamond is not an easy task, and finding the right diamond jewelry store is not that easy either. Almost every jewelry store offers diamonds, but not every jewelry store can call itself a true diamond jewelry store. A true diamond jewelry store specializes in diamonds, provides excellent education about diamonds, and offers a selection of diamonds within your price range that meet all of your requirements. Roman Jewelers is proud to be that diamond jewelry store. We love to educate engagement ring buyers, because we want you to be able to make an educated choice when purchasing a diamond for your engagement ring. The Difference Between Roman Jewelers and Other Diamond Jewelry Stores It is critical to understand the quality of the diamond you are buying. Just last week, a young man came into our store looking for a diamond for an engagement ring. He was looking at two stones on the Internet. He had seen two stones online, both with the same color, clarity, and GIA certification as excellent cuts, yet there was a one thousand dollar price difference between them. He could not figure out why there was such a price difference between the two online vendors. That is exactly where diamond jewelry store specialists can help. There are many nuances that can influence the price of a diamonds with seemingly identical characteristics. At Roman Jewelers, we look at diamonds every day, so we know how to read the fine print in the diamond certificate and understand the difference in price. As a top diamond jewelry store, we have an extremely talented staff that will educate you so you understand exactly what you are buying and help you buy a diamond that you will be proud of.Make An Appointment